Description
This Healthy, Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup is a quick, easy, delicious one-pot soup you'll want on your regular soup carousel. It's great for a busy weeknight meal and also for batch cooking and meal prepping.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or vegan butter)
- 1/2 onion, chopped (~180 grams)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (12-15 grams)
- 4 cups broccoli, florets chopped small (280 grams), fresh or frozen
- 2 carrots, shredded (~120 grams)
- 1-2 Idaho gold potatoes, 250 grams or 2 cups (substitute with Yukon Gold or russet potatoes)
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard powder (substitute with 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard)
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional for heat)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 cup oat milk
- 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Toppings (optional)
- roasted chickpeas
- roasted potatoes
- croutons
- shredded vegan cheese
- red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Saute: Add diced onions and a pinch of salt to heated olive oil on medium heat and cook until they're soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add Garlic: Add garlic and sauté for about a minute.
- Cook the Vegetables: Pour the vegetable broth into the pot, then add the potatoes, broccoli, and shredded carrots. Bring everything to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the vegetables cook until soft, which should take about 15 minutes. To test if they're done, pierce the largest pieces of potato and broccoli with a fork – they should be tender and easy to pierce.
- Remaining Ingredients: Add the oat milk, lemon juice, mustard powder, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper to the pot and mix well.
- Blend: Transfer half to two-thirds of the soup to the blender and mix until smooth. Depending on how chunky you want it, you can blend more soup. Blend only for a few seconds to preserve some of the structure.
- Combine: Pour the blended soup into the pot and stir well to incorporate everything.
- Simmer and Adjust: Let the soup simmer for a few more minutes to thicken and allow the flavors to meld. Adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Additional Thickening (optional): Add a cornstarch slurry to the soup while simmering. See notes below for details.
- Serve: Serve hot with crusty bread or with croutons if desired. See the post for more options.
Notes
This soup is on the thinner side but thickens over time. For immediate thickening, use a cornstarch slurry, mixing 2 tablespoons with cold water and adding it gradually while simmering. Gradually and slowly add the cornstarch slurry, stirring continuously. The heat will activate the cornstarch to thicken the soup, but be cautious to avoid adding too much before it has time to thicken. You may only need 1 tablespoon, so add it slowly.
If shredding your carrots, shred the onion too for an even more delicious texture in the soup.
When transferring the soup to the blender, purposefully leave behind a few small pieces of broccoli if you want a nice textural contrast and visual appeal.
I use frozen petite broccoli florets in this soup for convenience and the perfect bite-size without chopping.
You can make the soup without nutritional yeast, but it will be less 'cheesy.' To add some cheesy flavor, top with cheddar-style vegan shreds.
I prefer a standard blender for this soup, yielding a smoother and creamier blend than an immersion blender.
The nutritional information provided is an approximate estimate.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: soup, stew
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bowl
- Calories: 192
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 784
- Fat: 9
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 23
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 7
- Cholesterol: 0.5 mg